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The majority of coal for London's old Thames -side power stations came in colliers from coal ports in the North East of England and Wales. Bankside Power Station however, on the south bank of the Thames opposite St Paul’s Cathedral, was an oil-fired power station. It was designed by Sir Giles Gilbert Scott and began generating power in 1952, but rising oil prices made it uneconomic, and it was was closed in 1981. After a major conversion designed by architects Herzog and de Meuron it reopened as the Tate Modern art gallery in May 2000. With around 5 million visitors a year it is one of the most popular tourist attractions in the UK.
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